St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-06-16


was another. Mr.. Wheeler used to say
that Chandler came nearer resembling
Cromwell than any other character in
history.
A RUNAWAY TRAIN.
There is a story in the June Wide
Awake of boy, the I5-year-old son OF
a locomotive engineer, who had often
ridden with his father and "knew the
engine pooty WE'LL" Indeed the engi-
neer had often let the boy "drive" on
a long stretch of straight track.
One night he left :tDave" in charge
of the engine on siding, while he
went to supper as usual. There came
up furious wind and, after little,
some cars shot by without any engine.
The wind had started them. Boy,
think quick Down gradel The
lightning express is to come that way
Nobody near. No telegraph wire.
The trains are headed together. There
is less than an hour to catch those run
away cars and pull them ont of the
way. No time for hesitation! He
springs to the lever, picks up speed
and tears away with grade and wind
and steam like a whizzing arrow.
They are miles ahead. The rushing
minutes are full of sudden comprehen-
sion. He almost sees through the
dark, tempestuous night. What set
him flying toward this plunge was
thought of the lightning express. New
danger takes hold of him. What if he
is Just too late! The runaway train is
in sight! Off steam No, on again
Let the story teller tell the rest.
He must slow up, but do it so nicely
that, when he does come up with them,
there shall be the least possible shock;
for here is the hardest part of the busi-
ness. He has nobody to help him
couple" He must be, for the once
both engineer and switchman. He had
not thought what formidable job this
was until it stared him in the face.
On he flew revolving the situation in
his head and adjusting his engine with
the incest care until he was upon the
very heels of the runaway then, will
many misgivings, slipped out of the ell
CINE house and crawled along the side
of the locomotive, and down on the
"cOw catcher
Here, Selling the long coupler in one
hand and holding on with the other
he stood watching with breathless in
terest the approaching collision. The
suspense was agOnizing. The situation
was perilous. A gust of wind might
sweep him from his place, he might be
shaken off or crushed.
He was almost panic stricken. A
dozen times he was at the point OF
turning back. To his startled ears the
air was full of uncanny sOunds-the
sweep of another tornado, the rush OF
the "Lightning" just ahead. But he
had in him the stuff which heroes are
made of. The hero, remember, is moi
he who is insensibe to danger, but
rather he who feels and realizes, but
yet OvercOmes it.
The "MeteOr" drew nearer and near
Ell the flying train. Dave had used ex-
cellent Judgment in regulating its
speed for at length it came up with
the rear car with scarcely shock, sc
that Dave could reach over and drop
in the pin.
Then clambering back into the en-
CINE house with trembling eagerness
he seized the "throttle." To his
amazement the train did not stop. In
stead of the "MeteOr's" stopping the
runaway, the runaway dragged the
"Meteor" along in it's headlong flight
Dave was horror struck. He had
thought the train would stop at once
He had not calculated what tremen-
dOus impetus all those heavy cars had
acquired.
Now, then, the tussle The train be-
gan to slow up. 1t came to a stand
still. Then the backward pull. Slowly
they got under way but the wind and
| upgrade were against them.
Dave began to get anxious. "Tht
Lightning" must be due by this time
He kept sharp lookout behind and
whistled like mad around the curves
At length he entered upon the long
straight level line of road which ex-
tended clear to BlanktOn. Dave
breathed freer. 1t was the home
stretch-a good ten-mile run.
Hardly had he congratulated him
self, when far behind-but unmistaka-
blythe heard the scream of the
'Lightning's" whistle. He was going
already at his topmOst speed. He was
making not more than 30 miles an
hour, while the "Lightning" was com
ing on at the rate of 60. With horror
he heard it gaining on him; the next
whistle was nearer, and at length when
he had made only two thirds the dis
lance the CLEAN of its head Light came
shooting round wooded curve in his
rear.
Out of the very despair of the mo-
ment Dave gathered calmness. He
turned his back on the pursuing train,
he cast no look behind, he shut his
ears to its On-cOming roar; looked
straight ahead, kept his eye on the
track, his mind on his duty.
He is almost there-he Is there, he
dashes past the station house, across
the switch and down at last upon the
side track.
1t is all right. Jake and Jim are
there. They have thrown the switch
back in time; and the "Lightning''
goes whizzing and shrieking past.
When Jake jumped aboard the "Me-